Blind Fire
by booksmart21103
Summary: Best friends Lucy and Ana fall through the TV and into the Avatar world, Ana ending up with the Gaang and Lucy landing on Zuko's ship! With new abilities and knowledge of the future, can these two save the world and maybe even find love?
1. Chapter 1

Lucy sat on the couch, her delicate hands brushing over the smooth wood of her violin. She had been practicing for the past few hours, bored out of her mind. After a few minutes of sitting there, she finally decided on what to do, pulling out her phone.

"Siri, call Ana." After three rings she was answered.

"Hello?"

"Ana? Come over, and bring the usual."

"Roger that. I'll be over in 15 minutes." Sure enough, she arrived 15 minutes later, _Avatar the Last Airbender_ in hand. They watched it for the next hour before running out of popcorn.

"I wish this was real." Lucy said, before the power went out.

"I'm just the guy with the boomerang I didn't ask for all this flying and magic!"

"Huh. The power went out but the TV's still on." Ana said, walking over to inspect it. Lucy gripped her violin, wondering why the power went out. Suddenly, an unknown force picked them up and threw both girls at the TV. Soon they were both falling, Ana flailing her arms out while Lucy curled herself into a ball. Ana landed on something huge and leather-like while Lucy fell onto something very cold, sliding down until she landed on cool metal. Ana looked around and saw where she was and let out "Oh crap" before passing out.

Lucy kept herself curled up, hugging her violin and bow like they were her life source. She heard a few murmurs of. "Who is she?" and "How did she fall from the sky?" before she passed out.

Lucy woke up chained to a wall. She didn't know how long she had been lying there, but after a while she heard footsteps approaching.

"Who are you? How did you get on my ship?" The voice was young and surprisingly familiar. She just couldn't give it a name.

"My name is Lucy and I don't even know where I am much less how I got here." She replied, her voice etched in fear.

"Look at me, peasant." She slowly looked up. "I said look at me!" He yelled, pulling her chin up and looking into her eyes. Two glassy blue orbs stared back.

"Who are you?" Lucy asked, raising a hand up to touch his face. He stepped back just before her hand touched him.

"Guards, take her to one of the spare rooms. And make sure that she doesn't escape." Lucy then knew who she was talking to, even though it seemed impossible.

Lucy had just met Zuko, and he had just learned that she was blind.

Lucy woke up on a bed this time. She sat there for a while, thinking over what has happened. She had met Zuko, her favorite character. She would get to meet Iroh, her other favorite character! She was so fangirl high right now.

She hadn't always been blind. She had spent the first thirteen years as a normal Avatar fan. Then she was hit by a drunk driver and lost her sight. She spent the next two years mastering the violin, using sound to fill in the emptiness where her sight used to be. She had been friend with Ana for a few years, and she helped Lucy get through her blindness and slight depression.

She heard a knock on her door as she sat up (Wearing all of her clothes, thankfully!) "Come in." She smelt chamomile tea and knew exactly who it was.

"Hello. I am Iroh, prince Zuko's uncle. I brought you some tea." He said, sitting on the edge of the bed and placing the cup in her outstretched hands. "I'm surprised that my nephew didn't put you in the brig."

"He did." She replied, taking a sip of the tea. "Mm. Chamomile. Need to cut down on the mint, though."

"My, my. You must know a lot about tea." She shrugged and continued drinking. "Why did he take you out of the brig?" She looked up at him and he wa surprised to see her glassy, unfocused eyes. "I'm sorry, miss. I didn't realize that you were blind."

She smirked. "Blind people aren't as weak and pitiful as you think." She got up and thought over where she was going. By the sounds his feet made, she was about 10 feet away from the door. She walked over with ease, easily opening the door. "I've had practice." She then shut the door and walked around the little room. The sounds her feet made when they touched the floor told her that she was in a small room with the bed and a large chest occupying it. She then sat back down on the bed and asked the question that had been plaguing her thoughts. "Do you by any chance know where my friend Ana is? She fell out of the sky with me."

"I saw a young girl fall out of the sky, yes. She landed on the Avatar's bison and is still with them I suppose.

 _Living the dream,_ she thought. "Do you know where my violin is? I had it with me when I fell."

"I can go see." He said, standing up. "Would you like to join me?" She nodded and they left the room. "What else can you do?" He asked.

"I'm a good musician and singer, I can also do average hand-to-hand combat, katanas, and short swords."

"That is good. Can you bend?"

"I don't know, I've never tried."

They reached the deck and Iroh asked one of the guards if they knew where her instrument was. While he went to fetch it, Iroh directed Lucy to where Zuko was training with a few men. One of Zuko's opponents missed him and threw a fireball straight towards Lucy.


	2. Chapter 2

_They reached the deck and Iroh asked one of the guards if they knew where her instrument was. While he went to fetch it, Iroh directed Lucy to where Zuko was training with a few men. One of Zuko's opponents missed him and threw a fireball straight towards Lucy._

Lucy could do many things. Ever since she lost her sight, she had used it to her advantage, training her ears to help her. She thought that she had abilities similar to Toph, except she used the sounds the vibrations gave, not the vibrations themselves. Right now, she could sense fire coming towards her, and fast. She blocked her face with her hands and waited for the burn. Instead, she felt a warm sensation go through her body, and when she opened her eyes, she could _see!_ She couldn't see like a normal person, though. It was like she was wearing a pair of those heat-sensing goggles. She felt the fire inside of her grow, and she couldn't hold it back as she forced it out of her hands and towards the sky. She sighed when her vision disappeared.

"I guess it only works with heat." She said to herself, not knowing that everyone was staring at her.

"How did you do that?" Iroh and Zuko asked at the same time.

"I don't know, but it was awesome." Lucy said, trying to pinpoint where Zuko was. She apparently didn't need to, because soon he was standing right in front of her. "Well hello there, Zuko."

He stared at her. "How do you know my name? Are you one of the avatar's spies?"

"I'll tell you once I have my violin and we're someplace where no one can overhear." Soon she was reunited with her instrument and was sitting in Zuko's room with the two curious firebenders. "Okay, this probably won't make any sense, but please don't make any interruptions until the end." She closed her eyes. "I guess the best way to explain this is by explaining my world. In my world, bending doesn't exist. We instead rely on technology and intelligence in order to get anything done. One of the many things we have is called a TV, which allows you to see and hear things as if you're actually there. One of the many things that me and my friend Ana watch was Avatar: the Last Airbender. We've both seen the past, present, and future of this world. I lost my sight almost 3 years ago but I still remember." She looked up to where she guessed Zuko was sitting. "I've seen who you can and will be. I hope to help you achieve this as quickly as possible. You WILL get the throne, and I will do my best to push you in the right direction."

"How can we trust you or know that what you say is true?" Zuko asked. I leaned up towards him and placed my fingers on his scar. He went stiff, but didn't back away.

"You think that you lost your honor, but standing up for what's right and refusing to fight your father because you knew it was wrong, that's the most honorable thing I've seen." She got up and walked towards the door. "If you still don't believe me, at least don't talk about the Avatar when we dock. Zhao will be there and he's not gonna be fair."

She let them think about it and walked back to the room, having memorized the way there when she walked to the deck. She searched through the chest and found some men's clothes that she could easily turn into a dress. _Those YouTube videos sure came in handy,_ she thought, tying the sash around her waist. She walked up on the deck and heard Iroh and Zuko's talking. "So, how do I look?"

Zuko was shocked to say the least. The dress went well with her long red hair and bright blue eyes. It gave her a look of beauty and innocence, and made him speechless.

"You look beautiful, Lucy. I didn't know we had a dress in that chest." Iroh said, breaking the silence.

"You didn't." She said, wrapping her arm around Zuko's. "It's one of the shirts I found in there." _'I hope it looks good and he's not lying.'_

Zuko jumped. He had heard her, as clear as day, but her lips didn't move. _'How did she do that?'_

"How did I do what?" She asked, looking up at him.

' _Impossible,'_ he thought. _'We could hear each other, yet neither of us said a word.'_ She gasped but soon put on a calm face.

' _Let's keep this a secret for now, Ponytail.'_

' _Ponytail?'_

' _Yep. Speaking of Ponytail, you need to let you hair grow out. It'll look amazing, trust me.'_ She clung to him and put on a nervous face. _'Hold on to me. I need to actually look like a helpless blind girl.'_

"Uncle, I want the repairs made as quickly as possible." Zuko said as they stepped off the ship. "I don't want to stay too long and risk losing his trail."

"You mean the avatar." Iroh said.

"Don't mention his name on these docks. Once word get out that he's alive, every firebender will be out looking for him and I don't want anyone getting in the way."

"Getting in the way of what, Prince Zuko?" Lucy forgot how intimidating he was until now.

"Captain Zhao." Zuko said, the name sending shivers down my spine.

"It's commander now. And general Iroh, great hero of our nation."

"Retired general."

"The fire lord's brother and son are welcomed guests anytime. What brings you to my harbor?"

"Our ship is being repaired."

"That's quite a bit of damage."

"Yes, you wouldn't believe what happened. Uncle, tell commander Zhao what happened."

"Yes, I will do that. It was incredible. What, did we crash or something?"

"Yes, right into an earth kingdom ship." Lucy decided to speak up then, putting on her innocent and fragile façade.

"It's true, commander. I was kidnaped by some nasty earthbenders, who were going to sell me off for my innocence," She pulled herself closer to Zuko. "When Prince Zuko saved me, defeating those scum and saving my life."

"Really? You must regale me with all the thrilling details. Join me for a drink?" She could guess that he was offering her a hand, but she remained attached to Zuko.

"We would be honored, but first we must get her some new clothes, for she lost all of her old ones." _Iroh saved the day!_

They walked down the street, Zhao and Iroh talking in the back. _'Zuko, I'm gonna listen in on their discussion. I'll have no idea where I'm going so make sure I don't fall flat on my face.'_

"I see Zuko found himself a new companion. Why does she lean on him for support?"

"She does it because she was injured a few years ago and is now blind."

"I see. What is her name?" _Make up a good fire nation name, Iroh._

"Her name is Meinu." _Smooth, Iroh. Beauty._

"Meinu?" Zhao said, loud enough for Zuko and Lucy to hear.

"Yes?" She replied stopping and turning her head slightly to acknowledge them.

"Nothing. Go get you some new clothes." They walked on, a bad feeling forming in Lucy's stomach from the way he talked to her.


	3. Chapter 3

Lucy stalled as long as possible, not wanting to see Zhao again. Once she couldn't fix her outfit anymore, she walked out to where the men were waiting. "How do I look?" She heard several gasps as they studied her dress. It was long and showed her curves nicely without over doing it. She guessed that it was red, and she hoped that it didn't make her already uncommon red hair stand out. She put her hands up to see if it was comfortable enough to play the violin in, and found that it was, a small smile playing on her lips.

Iroh was the first to speak. "You look beautiful, Meinu. Do you like the dress?"

She nodded. "Can I have a second one, only shorter? I don't want something like this to be damaged while practicing."

"Practicing what, exactly?" Zhao asked, startling her. She had forgotten that he was there.

"I practice many things, commander. I can sing, dance, play instruments-"

"Can you bend?" She decided to give them a nice scare by setting herself on fire. The fire did nothing, never touching anything. But it was amazing, like an extension of her body, telling her where everything was. _The perks of being blind…_

"That was amazing!" She didn't expect _that,_ the fire disappearing with a quiet sizzle. She wanted to _scare_ him, not impress him! "Ladies, I'll pay for her clothing. Give her the entire store's worth of clothing. Have it sent to her ship immediately!" Said ladies squealed with joy and immediately started getting the clothes ready to be shipped off.

"You really don't have too…" Lucy said, forcing herself to put her innocent mask on and not snap at him.

"I must! Only the best for a beautiful firebender such as yourself." She held back a grimace as he lifted her hand up to his lips. _'Save me Zuko!'_

"Don't we have somewhere to be?" Zuko said, pulling Lucy away from Zhao. _'Thank you.'_

"Of course. We should get going." It took every ounce of self-control that Lucy had to not smirk at the slight anger in his voice. They had their discussion, the Agni kai was made, and Lucy ignored them the entire time. As enjoying as it was to hear what she had heard dozens of times in real life, she couldn't help but wish that Ana was here with her. But, they were at opposite sides of the war right now. If Ana was smart- which Lucy knew she was- she would understand and try not to kidna- _rescue_ her.

Lucy didn't realize how much time had passed until they were already starting the Agni kai. Iroh asked why she was now frowning and laughed when she said "Zuko's not wearing a shirt and I can't see a damn thing." When Zuko pinned Zhao down Lucy got ready. Just as Zhao was about to it Zuko's back she sent a wall of flames in between the two. "So this is how the great commander Zhao acts in defeat." She heard Iroh say. "Disgraceful. Even in exile, my nephew is more honorable than you. Thanks again for the tea. It was delicious."

"Did you really mean that, Uncle?" Zuko asked once Lucy caught up with them.

"Of course. Ginseng tea _is_ his favorite." Lucy said before Iroh, mentally laughing at Zhao's defeat.

It had been two weeks since the Agni Kai, and things were looking up for Lucy. She practiced her violin alone, but other than that did not shy away from anyone. She learned how to play pi sho with special engraved tiles just for her, and she'd come to accept Zuko as a friend. He didn't snap at her as often, and he even let her meditate in his room with him. It was nice, being able to let her mind relax and wander without any disturbances-

"The only reason you should be interrupting me is if you have news about the avatar." Zuko said, pulling Lucy out of her trance.

"Well there is news, prince Zuko, but you might not like it." Iroh said, stepping into the room. "Don't get to upset."

"Uncle, you taught me that keeping a level head is the sign of a great leader. Now whatever you have to say, I'm sure I can take it." Zuko replied, his voice even and calm. _Not for long…._

"Okay then. We have no idea where he is."

"Kaboom." Lucy whispered under her breath as she felt the fire from his explosion.

"WHAT!"

"You really should open a window in here."

"Yeah it is kind of stuffy in here." Lucy said, aggravating him even more.

Zuko took the map from Iroh's grasp. "There have been multiple sightings of the avatar, but he has been impossible to track down." Iroh said.

"How am I gonna find him, uncle? He is clearly a master of evasive maneuvering." Lucy couldn't stop herself from cracking up at this. "Do _you_ know where the avatar is?" Zuko asked, turning towards her.

She eventually stopped laughing and stood up. "At the moment, no. I have no idea where he is. But," She said, catching his attention. "I will share some future knowing wisdom. My wisdom is: Salmon. Dock and have the cook go fetch salmon for dinner." And with that she left.

When she got to her room, she changed out of her dress until she was only wearing her pants and chest bindings. She reached over and grabbed her violin, carefully tuning the instrument. She started playing, eventually singing along with it.

Zuko sopped as he passed Lucy's door. He heard music and… singing?

He put his ear up against the door and listened.

" _I have often dreamed, of a far off place_

 _Where a hero's welcome, will be waiting for me._

 _Where the crowds will cheer when they see my face_

 _And a voice keeps saying 'this is where I'm meant to be.'_

Her voice was soft and delicate, yet it held so much pain and wisdom that he couldn't disagree with her. That was what he had wanted all his life.

" _I'll be there someday, I can go the distance_

 _I will find my way, if I can be strong._

 _I know every mile, will be worth my while._

 _I would go the distance and be right where I belong."_

Zuko then fell through the door like an idiot. He stared at her, knowing that his cheeks were just as red as hers, but for a different reason. He got up, careful not to look below her shoulders, and told her that her song was good before getting out of the room as fast as he could without actually running.

A smile tugged at Lucy's lips. He had actually _liked_ her singing! Maybe she _should_ take up Iroh's offer about music night. She got up and put her dress back on, slightly blushing when she realized that he had seen her like that. She all but skipped down the halls, a grin plastered on her face. When she sat down to eat, she told Iroh that she would perform on music night. She didn't know that Zuko was slightly smirking next to her, but Iroh did. He put a knowing smile on his face and said that he would love it if she could perform for them. When the cook came, he told them that the avatar was on Kyoshi Island. Zuko got ready for battle, taking the salmon with him much to Lucy's dismay. She got up and went to put on more flexible clothing. She was going to see Ana again, and she knew that there would be chaos.


	4. Chapter 4

Lucy slowly walked through the battle. She only had one opponent in mind, and she had a feeling that she was waiting for her…

Lucy threw a fireball and it narrowly (but purposefully) missed its noisy target. The target in question raised an eyebrow at the scorch mark next to her head. "No need to ask if you can bend." Anna let out a sigh. "Why are you tagging along with sifu hotman?" **(Sorry if I spelt that wrong)**

"Because he has better abs than Aang and Sokka's combined?" She replied, her senses telling her that the people around her were slowing down to hear the conversation. "Also, I get a nice bed _and_ Iroh's tea! There's no way I'd turn this opportunity down."

"You'll miss the newly refurbished chamber." She said in a childish tone.

"I'll meet him eventually." Lucy replied, aiming another fireball at her friend. She dodged it with ease (damn her and her gymnastics). "There's no way I'm gonna leave Hot Shot over there for you guys. You don't even have my other favorite yet!"

They kept fighting for a couple of minutes before Anna sighed. "Just don't get your hopes up. Okay? I don't want to lose my best friend because she repeated her mistakes."

Lucy nodded before going to find Zuko. It didn't take long, and she soon heard him crashing into a house. She ran into the building, cutting her legs up in the process. She leaned over and shook Zuko slightly. "Zuko, it's time to wake up. I'd like you to wake up before winter. Maybe then we'll have fun. You know, ice skating and building snowmen. Do you wanna build a snowman? It doesn't have to be a snowman…"

Zuko groaned. "What happened?"

"Aaah!" She screamed, falling back onto the ashy ground. "You scared me!"

He growled and stood up. "What happened?" He repeated annoyance evident in his voice.

"Well, you were thrown into this building, and we're also having our asses handed to us by the Kyoshi warriors." She said, pushing herself up off the ground. "If you wanna get out of here with the majority of your army intact, I suggest we leave. Like now."

They soon called for a retreat, Lucy screaming out random stuff like "You won't be lucky next time" and "I LOVE TACOS" knowing that his will be one of her last non serious moment with Anna for a while.

When they arrived back onto the ship, Iroh was the first to greet them.

"Excellent try, Prince Zuko. You to Lu- oh my! You're bleeding!" Lucy didn't know what he was talking about until he touched her arm, which caused pain that she hadn't felt until now. She hissed in pain and was immediately bandaged up.

When she finally got back to her room, she changed into a knee-length dress and tried not to hiss when she touched the bandages. The cuts on her legs were small but painful, and would give her a few days of pain. The one on her arm was nasty, she had no idea how she didn't notice it. It would take several weeks to heal, and she wasn't allowed to do strenuous activities such as fire bending or playing the violin.

She sighed. She had literally _nothing_ to do. She wasn't allowed to roam the ship (not until the cuts on her legs healed) and the only non-strenuous immobile activities required some sort of vision. Which she had none.

She lay sprawled out on her bed for a few minutes until she heard a knock on her door. She let out a groan of "come in" before the door opened. She didn't know who had stepped in so she remained sprawled out until her visitor spoke.

"I brought tea." She didn't expect Zuko to visit her and shot up, earning herself another cringe as pain shot through her body. She heard him quickly approach and sit the tea down. "Don't make your pain any worse."

"I know." She said, mentally preparing herself for her visitor. She didn't want to look weak in front of him. She held out her hands and waited for the cup to firmly press on her hands before she took a sip. "Thank you."

"I know what it's like to feel like you can't do anything," he said, taking a sip of his own tea. "So I thought you could use some company." They sat in silence before he spoke again. "Why?

"Why what?"

"You know why what. I might have been fighting, but I still saw you. You obviously cared about the girl, yet you turned down her offer, and purposefully missed her several times. Why?"

Lucy sighed, thinking about the question for a moment before answering. "Anna is my sister in all but blood. I would do anything to protect her. But," she put the cup in her lap. "We're on different sides of the war now. She follows the Avatar, and I follow you. We both knew our decisions, but that was the moment that we decided; we are now enemies, but will not be the cause of each other's deaths."

They sat in silence for a few more minutes before Zuko slowly pulled her into a hug. Lucy clung to him and sobbed the life out of her until she eventually fell asleep. He grabbed the tea things before pulling a blanket over her and walking out the door. Yes, he knew what she was going through.

He knew all too well.


	5. Chapter 5

Lucy couldn't lie; being bedridden sucked. It had taken her a week to convince Iroh to let her walk without assistance and another for him to let her firebend. If she had to guess, she had probably been bedridden for about two episodes, so they should have already found Katara's necklace from the "Imprisonment" episode. She had thought about asking Zuko, but she hadn't heard from him since she used him as a pillow after crying herself to sleep. He was either too distracted by the Avatar to acknowledge her, or was avoiding her. She was pretty sure that it was the latter. But she was stubborn and headstrong; she would not let her entire life get thrown off course just because Zuko thought she was crazy or overly emotional. Or worse.

She thought back to Iroh, who she was currently keeping pace with as they explored one of the forested areas near the ship. Would he know about the necklace? Would Zuko tell him about the necklace? Did Iroh know about her emotional breakdown with Zuko?

She was pulled from her inner turmoil when Iroh announced that the had reached the hotspring. He told her that it was hers, and that he was going to go find one nearby, and to yell if she needed him. She doubted that she would, but it put a smile on her face to know that he cared. The water was hot but not scalding, and she couldn't stop the sleep that begged to keep her in this relaxing spring forever.

Then Zuko walked in. Well, she heard him approach his uncle nearby, which immediately woke her up. She pretended to sleep as she listened in on their banter. It was pretty on point with the cartoon script, except for when Iroh informed Zuko of her location. She relaxed her muscles and feigned sleep, but it didn't fool him for long.

"I know you're awake." He said.

She decided that she didn't want to talk to him today, so she thought to him instead. _So NOW you've decided to take interest in me. I was starting to worry that you had forgotten about me._

He growled. "I've been busy searching for the Avatar." He didn't move, but Lucy knew that he was glaring at her. "Are you going back to the ship or are you staying with Iroh?"

Now, if Lucy wasn't drugged by the amazing sensation of this hot spring, she would remember what happened next and go with Zuko. But, her mind was foggy and she was still mad at Zuko for ignoring her. _I think I'll stay here for a bit. Unless you would like to join me?_

She knew he was blushing like crazy right now, and he said nothing as he stormed away. She laughed silently and let sleep overtake her once more…

Until Earth Kingdom soldiers captured her and chained her up on a horse.

Luckily, they had allowed her to put on clothes. Unluckily, they did not let Iroh. But they were on separate ostrich-horse thingies, so she was fine. She heard Iroh start complaining, and prepared herself. She launched herself away, landing on her side, and discreetly pulled out a ribbon from her hair (which was a lot harder than she thought it would be) and left it for Zuko to find. She was then thrown back onto the animal and was carried away in tense silence.

They seemed to decide that she and Iroh were too dangerous, and came up with a simple solution: crush their hands with massive boulders. Subconsciously, Lucy knew that she would be okay. But when she heard the boulder being lifted, she couldn't stop herself from flailing around, trying to release herself from the rock restraints. Her mind screamed for Zuko to save her, but she had no response. Or at least a responce loud enough to hear over her screaming. She flinched when she heard the rock fall-

Zuko took that moment to arrive and save her. He kicked the rock to the side, shocking the soldiers and releasing her restraints. She sighed in relief and back away, climbing out of the crater the men were currently fighting in. She didn't move, even after the Earth Kingdom soldiers were defeated and Zuko complained about Iroh's lack of clothing. It wasn't until she felt something being tied into her hair did she uncurl herself and figure out who was behind her. It was Zuko.

"There," he said, tying the ribbon into her hair and taking her hand to pull her off the ground. "Much better."

She giggled, her face heating up as she realized how close they were. _I'm still mad at you._ She thinks to him, her smile saying otherwise.

 _And what must I do to make it up to you?_ He thought back, helping her onto the rhino as Iroh took the ostrich-horse.

She wrapped her arms around his torso, his warmth calming her from the traumatic experience. _Promise that you won't forget about me, no matter what happens._

He sighed as she fell asleep against his back, her arms still wrapped limply around him. "That I can do."

* * *

After interrogating the villagers("You didn't have to be _that_ harsh"), the ship set off towards the Fire temple. Lucy forgave Zuko and helped him by giving him (expendable) information about the Avatar and the future. She told him that Zhao would be there, and that Aang was there to speak with Avatar Roku. She listened as a three way battle took place between Zuko, Zhao and Aang. There was fire everywhere, but Lucy encouraged Zuko to continue, much to Iroh's displeasure. When they passed Zhao, Lucy swore she could feel his gaze burning into her flesh, ripping out her vulnerabilities and revealing them to the world. But she remained still, giving no acknowledgement to him or the world around her until they were far enough to her liking.

They decided to use smokescreens and traveled on a separate ship to the temple. When they arrived, the sages bent to Zuko's will, leading him and Lucy directly to where the GAang was hiding. She went to sit by a pillar, and was suddenly restrained to the pillar as Aang slipped into the room. Lucy was in too much shock to react properly. They weren't supposed to gain an earthbender until Toph came along. So unless Ana was hiding her abilities…

"ANA!" She screamed, her hair briefly catching on fire before immediately turning to normal. She heard giggling and growled. "Come and fight me, you coward!"

"I don't think you're in the position to fight, Lu." Speak of the devil. "You seen pretty tied up at the moment. We'll have to fix that." The restraints crumbled and Lucy jumped up immediately, almost falling on her face until she felt the hands of her best friend straightening her. She hugged her friend, not wanting to let go. But, she had no choice. She grabbed Ana's wrists and turned to where Lucy had the upper hand. She kept her grip loose, just tight enough to keep up the impression that she had captured her friend. Ana huffed in annoyance. "Why can't you just accept hugs like a normal person? But nooo. You have to turn it into restrainment." She went silent and Lucy heard footsteps drawing near.

Zhao appeared and restrained everyone, except for Lucy. She felt vulnerable, not knowing his intentions. He grabbed her chin and she flinched away. "Now, now. Be a good girl. Don't flinch away Meinu. It's not polite." She held her head up defiantly, hoping the sight of her milky gaze would drive him away. It did not. "There we go. You would be a wonderful fire nation noblewoman. So much potential, the perfect prize for any man's affections. You would be clothed in only the finest silks. People would swoon at the sound of your name. Join me, Meinu, and you will never have to live a peasant's life again."

Lucy was speechless. Was this man, one of the cruelest characters of the entire series, trying to woo her? Luckily, she didn't have to answer, as Aang, taking the form of Roku, walked in and started destroying the temple. She ran away with Zuko, and didn't say a word as she got back to her room on the ship. She laid on the bed drifting to sleep with only one thought in ind. How was she going to get herself out of this mess?


	6. Chapter 6

**I'm Sorry that I haven't updated in awhile. School has kept me wrapped up for the past few months. But I promise to periodically update both of my stories whenever I can!**

When she woke up that morning, she came up with a solution to her little problem. If the proper timeline was still intact (which it still should be), then she shouldn't see or hear from Zhao until he tries to kill Zuko (except for when Zuko rescues Aang as the blue spirit). So, she'll train. She'll ask Iroh to teach her proper firebending. She'll learn to lie, to control her emotions better. By the time she next met Zhao, she would be ready.

* * *

Left, right, kick. Breath in, breath out. Repeat. Don't stop. He's fallen. Don't let him get up. Block off his exits. Don't forget to shield yourself-

She fell. Hard. She got up, her breathing irregular as she snarled at her opponent.

"Breath, Lucy." her mentor said. And she growled as she focused on her breathing, shifting to a defensive stance. Her opponent charged, hoping to catch her off guard. She immediately sidestepped and he almost hit a wall. Almost. He turned around but it was all the time she needed to attack. Soon he pinned to the wall, hands pinned to his back as she positioned her other hand to his jugular. They stayed in this position for a few minutes until she released him, bowing as he ran away.

"I need better opponents." She said, bowing in the direction of her mentor, who had agreed to train her.

"You _need_ to focus on your breathing." Iroh said, getting up from his position and leading her to the pai sho table inside the ship.

""I was." She responded, a slight edge in her voice. "He distracted me-"

"Because you forgot to defend yourself." Iroh interupted her, setting her in one of the chairs before taking a seat himself at the other side of the table. "You need to be careful. You are not strong enough to fight completely offensive yet. And what if you have to fight someone you do ot wish to fight? Someone who wants you dead?"

She thought about having to fight her favorite characters, the good guys, who considered all of the fire nation enemies. She shivered. "I understand." She said, bowing her head in submission. "You're wisdom is correct, as always, Sifu Iroh."

He laughed. "Sifu Iroh is too formal. You may refer to me as Uncle, like Zuko does."

A large smile plastered itself onto her face. "Thank you, Uncle."

They continued chatting until Zuko walked in. "What is the meaning of this mutiny? Nobody told you to change course!"

"Actually someone did." Iroh said, interrupting Zuko. "I assure you, it is a matter of utmost importance prince Zuko."

"Is it something to do with the Avatar?" Zuko asked, his eyes involuntarily shifting to Lucy.

"Even more urgent. It seems I've lost my Lotus tile."

"Lotus tile?" Zuko asked as Iroh played against the members of the crew.

"Lotus tiles are considered insignificant to those that don't see the full picture." Lucy said as Iroh played. "In Pai Sho, the strongest players use the Lotus tile. They have a unique strategy that leaves you in the dark until you finally put the pieces together, and by then you've already lost."

"Lucy is right. The tile is essential for the unique strategy that I employ." If Iroh caught on to Lucy's hints, he didn't show it.

"You've changed our course for a stupid lotus tile?"

"See you, like most people, underestimate it's value. Just give me 10 minutes to check the merchants at this next port. Hopefully, they'll have a Lotus tile and I can get on with my life." Zuko released an angry puff of fire. "I'm lucky to have such an understanding nephew." Lucy giggled, and suddenly Zuko's attention was on her.

"What's so funny?" He asked, his voice sharp as he glared at the only girl on the ship.

"The way you two banter is hilarious." She said, deciding to be nice. "When we get there, you should try the pirate ship. They've got plenty of exotic curios. They may possibly have a spare Lotus tile."

He seemed satisfied with her answer and walked out. She got up, walking out soon after. She went to her room and started meditating. There was a knock on her door. "Come on in." She said, not bothering to move from her position. Iroh walked and handed her a cup of tea. She took a long sip before setting her cup down. "I know you didn't come down here just to give me tea."

His reply was short and simple. "You know of the White Lotus."

She smiled. "As I said, only the strongest use the Lotus tile. The White Lotus always fascinated me, it's member seemingly having nothing to do with each other. That is, until the pieces have been put together, and suddenly they have EVERYTHING to do with each other." She got up and sat on her bed. "But, just like the Lotus tile, once you know of the White Lotus, you've already lost."

They sat in silence before Iroh shocked her for the second time that day. "What would you say if I asked you to join the White Lotus? You would of course join as my apprentice, but would become an official member in due time."

She thought over this carefully. Joining the White Lotus was both a dream come true and a once in a lifetime opportunity. But if she joined, she'd have to keep so many secrets from her friends. She already felt bad for keeping secrets from Zuko. "I'll join the White Lotus as your apprentice." She said at last. "But I need time to decide if I will be staying or not."

He seemed to accept that answer. "I will inform the White Lotus immediately." He turned back as he was about to leave. "Which name would you like me to give them?"

She thought about it for a moment. "Use Lucy. My cover as Meinu will most likely be blown by the time I meet other members of the White Lotus."

He hummed in agreement and walked off. Lucy did some more meditating until Zuko came to get her. "Come on." He said, wasting no time to drag her out of the ship. "We have an Avatar to find."

They met up with the pirates on one of their smaller ships. She made sure to stay close to Iroh, never really liking the pirates. They soon found Katara attempting to follow the instructions of the firebending scroll. Lucy decided to have some fun as the pirates chased Katara. "I'll save you from the pirates." Zuko said as Katara ran into him.

 _But who will save ME from the pirates?_ Zuko ignored her, tying Katara up to a tree. _I wanna be tied to a tree. Interrogate me._ She listened as he tempted her with her necklace. _Keep talking. You sound sexy when you try to intimidate._ The pirates then came with the rest of the group. Zuko backed over towards Lucy and pinched her in the back of her arm. She giggled and waited for the battle to start. Sokka and Ana started talking about how Aang was worth more than the scroll and soon a fight broke out between the pirates an Zuko's crew. Lucy ran straight into the battlefield, using the lack of sight to her advantage as she brought down pirates, one by one. They soon called a retreat, the GAang taking the pirate ship and the pirates taking Zuko's smaller ship. Iroh revealed that the tile was in his sleeve and Zuko threw it into the waterfall.

They got back to the ship, Zuko grabbing Lucy by the elbow and dragging her to her room. He slammed the door behind them. "What was THAT?" He asked. He shifted towards her. "Why were you distracting me?"

She shrugged. "It was fun. And I knew that Katara wasn't going to give away any valuable information." She sat on the bed. "Besides, you need to have some fun. Trust me, it will help you in the future."

He stared at her for a minute before walking out, deciding to do some meditation. As they both sat in silence, the same question burned through their thoughts. _Why do I feel this way?_


	7. Chapter 7

Four months. It had been four months since Lucy had left the real world. Four months since she arrived on Zuko's ship. Four months since she fell into this universe and trained to become the strongest that she could be.

It was the best four months of her life.

She had learned so many things on this ship. She learned how to firebend and fight men twice her size. She learned how to play pai sho and sing firenation songs. She learned how to keep a straight face and lie to anyone. Well, almost anyone…

She thought back to the people who taught her these skills. Iroh taught her the basics. He gave her the reins and took control when she was in desperate need of guidance. It was both a blessing and a curse. While it was nice to have control over what she was doing, it was very difficult to master something without complete instructions. Zuko on the other hand…

Zuko was strange. Half of the time he'd force her to practice on something specific until it was perfect. This was usually when she practiced lying, which was nearly impossible, since she they could read the majority of each other's thoughts. The other half of the time he was too tired to teach her anything. He seemed to let a good portion of his guard down when he was alone with her, which usually meant he was aggravated and made her work twice as hard, or tired from tracking down the Avatar and fell asleep halfway through training. Luckily they practiced in Zuko's room so Lucy could always throw a blanket around him and leave when he fell asleep.

They were much more in tune with each other and prefered their thought communication over talking. The crew often caught one blushing or glaring at the other for no apparent reason. They became known as the "silent duo," never speaking to the other unless absolutely necessary. They weren't avoiding each other like they were a few weeks ago, but they never said a word to each other.

She was brought out of her thoughts with Iroh's statement. "There is a storm coming. A big one."

Zuko argued with him. "You're out of your mind, Uncle. The weather's perfect. There's not a cloud in sight.."

Iroh took in another deep breath. "A storm is approaching from the North. I suggest alter our course and head Southwest."

Zuko shook his head. "We know the Avatar is traveling Northward. So we will do the same."

"Prince Zuko, consider the safety of the crew."

"The safety of the crew doesn't matter!" He yelled, just as Jee passed by. They had a glaring contest before Zuko growled out. "Finding the Avatar is far more important than any individual's safety." With that he stormed off.

Iroh tried to console the infuriated lieutenant. "He doesn't meen that. He's just all worked up." Once Jee left, he turned to Lucy. "Please go talk to him. If there's anyone who can bring him to his senses, it's you."

She shook her head. "I'm sorry, Uncle. The only way to improve Zuko's relations with the crew is to head North." She was about to head back to her room when she called out to him. "Make sure that the crew's ready. And you may want to prepare yourself. They'll want to know why Zuko wants the Avatar."

She walked away, not wanting to hear his reply. She decided to go and meditate, knowing that she couldn't stop the fight that was going to happen eventually. She stopped when she heard Zuko slam his door shut down the hall. She waited a few minutes for him to calm down before she went to talk to him. She had only heard what Iroh would tell the crew downstairs, not Zuko's opinion. She stood in front of his door, her fist resting on the cool metal. What if he didn't want to talk to her? What if he became offended by her digging through his private life? It took her a full minute just to muster enough courage to knock. _**Thump thump thump.**_ No answer. But she _knew_ that he was in there, waiting for whoever was outside his door to walk away. She tried to speak, but it came out as a thought instead.

' _Zuko? Please let me in.'_

She heard the door slide open quickly, as if he didn't want anyone to see him in whatever state he was in. ' _Lucy?'_ He quickly grabbed her and pulled her into his room before slamming the door shut. He turned to her and scowled. ' _If you're here to convince me to change course, then leave.'_

She shook her head. ' _I could never convince you to stay from something you care so deeply about. I said that I would help you reclaim your throne, and I meant it.'_

They sat in silence for a few moments. ' _Then why are you here? Shouldn't you be playing pai sho with Iroh?'_

' _Iroh's telling them your story.'_ She could feel him flinch at her words. They were now seated at the edge of the bed, the tense silence threatening to consume them. ' _I've only ever heard Iroh's side of the story.'_ She thought, taking his hand into hers. ' _What was it really like?'_ She heard him sigh before she passed out.

* * *

 _He strolled down the hall, mind hard at work. He was old enough to join a meeting in the war chamber. If he were to be Fire Lord, he needed to know how such important discussions were performed. He was surprised when the soldiers guarding the entrance blocked his path. "Let me in!" He commanded, but they didn't move. Uncle soon arrived to ask what was wrong. He expressed his thoughts of wanting to attend the meeting, and after promising to stay quiet during the meeting Iroh reluctantly told the guards to let him in._

 _The room was large and extravagant. Massive pillars surrounded the table while his father's silhouette sat on the throne, his own flames threatening anyone who came near. He sat next to his Uncle, who had told him the truth: these meetings were boring. At first, he was fully alert, mentally keeping track of every detail in the meeting. But as the meeting continued, his thoughts began to wander. Did he HAVE to attend these meetings? His father hadn't spoken a word the entire time, and you couldn't even see anything besides his silhouette behind the flames. He seemed to only be there to supervise the meeting and intimidate everyone. Was he even back there? If so, why was he there when he could have a loyal general, such as Iroh, attend the meeting for him? Was that why Iroh didn't want him to attend? Because he wouldn't even have to in the future?_

" _The Earth Kingdom defences are concentrated here. A dangerous battalion of their strongest Earthbenders and fiercest warriors. So I am recommending the Forty-First division."_

" _But the Forty-First is entirely new recruits. How do you expect them to defeat a powerful Earth Kingdom battalion?" This caught Zuko's attention. How they expecting a bunch of lowly soldiers to beat a fierce army?_

 _He felt his body go rigid at the man's reply. "I don't. They'll be used as a distraction while we mount an attack from the rear. What better to use as bait than fresh meat?"_

 _Zuko felt his blood boiling. How DARE he suggest sacrificing an entire division for one measly battle? Before he could stop himself, Zuko was breaking his promise to Iroh, standing up and shouting at the man. "You can't sacrifice an entire division like that! Those soldiers love and defend our nation! How can you betray them?" He then realized his mistake, as all of the men turned to stare at him in both shock and looked to his father, whose flames had now grown with rage. He said that Zuko's challenge of the general was an act of complete disrespect, and that the only way to resolve it was an Agni Kai. He looked over at the general he had insulted. He declared that he was not afraid and marched off, ready to teach the man a lesson._

 _As the Agni Kai began, he turned around and was shocked. In the opponent's corner, where the general should be, was his Father. The man that he looked up to for so many years. He then realized his flawed thinking. He may have disrespected the general's plan, but by doing so in the Fire Lord's war room, he had unintentionally disrespected the Fire Lord instead. He was now forced to fight his own Father._

* * *

Lucy woke up gasping for air. The harsh colors from Zuko's memory disappeared, and for that she was grateful. She could feel his anger and regret and fear as she saw the world through his eyes. It had felt like she was in a nightmare, yet she could remember every detail. She felt around and soon found Zuko's hand, latching on to it desperately. ' _What just happened?'_

He didn't answer, and for a moment she thought he was still passed out like she was moments ago. She was about to answer again when he spoke aloud. "I… I don't know." He then turned away, and she could hear the sharpness in his voice. "What did you see?"

She sighed. "I saw everything through your eyes. I watched you attend the war meeting, I heard your thoughts as if they were my own. I felt your anger when you yelled at the general. I felt your fear when you saw your father and understood what it meant. Then it stopped."

They sat in silence for a few minutes. ' _I forced myself to forget what happens afterwards. Everything between then and when I woke up afterwards was forgotten years ago.'_ He took his hand out of hers. ' _I know from what Iroh told me that I begged for forgiveness. That I was weak and pitiful, something that my father would not tolerate-'_

' _But why do you want the Avatar?'_

He stopped his train of thought, and Lucy could feel his anger. ' _Because I want my honour back. To have my father care again. You already know this.'_

"But that's not how you lost your honor!" She shouted, her blood boiling at his words. "Sure, your father thinks less of you, but think of the people who care about you! Your mother, who sacrificed everything for you! Your Uncle, who even after losing his son, has still stayed strong and has tried to lead you onto the right path! And what about me? I'm not a part of the Fire Nation! My best friend and practically sister is fighting for the enemy. I had no reason to, but I still chose to side with you! Because I care about you Zuko, whether you care or not!" With that she stormed out, too upset to talk to him anymore. She fell asleep in her normal outfit, too upset and exhausted to care.

* * *

Zuko watched as the Avatar and his bison flew through the storm. He noticed that the water tribe girl and Lucy's friend were there as well, but not the annoying one with the boomerang.

" _My best friend is fighting for the enemy, but I still chose to side with you!"_ He shook the memory from his head. She wasn't important right now. The Avatar was.

"What do you want to do, sir?" Jee's voice rang out over the violent sounds of the storm. Zuko had a choice. Risk the crew or risk capturing the Avatar.

" _I care about you Zuko, whether you care or not!"_ He thought back to the crew, who were putting their lives in danger in order to keep him satisfied. His Uncle, who never argued against his command. Lucy, who lost everything, and yet still was kind and helpful, promising to help him reclaim his throne.

Lucy, who cared enough to fight against her own morals, even if she got nothing in return.

"Let him go." He said at last, his mind made up as the Avatar flew away. "We need to get this ship to safety." They sailed into the eye of the storm, per Iroh's advice, and the storm let up soon after. He apologized to his Uncle before walking back to his chambers, pausing outside Lucy's door slightly open door. He knocked on her door, and slowly opened it when he received no answer. There, he saw Lucy lying face-up on her bed, her slow breathing indicating that she was asleep.

She truly was beautiful. At almost 15, her body had curved out nicely, she herself being too modest to purposefully wear anything that showed her curves of. Her bright red hair was spread out across her pillow, reminding Zuko of her fiery attacks, both physically and verbally. He'd never admit it, but she reminded him of Azula, both finding joy in messing with him. Both amazing actresses, easily being able to bring down even the strongest of warriors with just a few words-

No. They were _not_ the same. Azula always lies, and has always found joy in making people suffer. Lucy could never lie to him, and cared about anyone who had the potential to care back.

With that thought in mind, he shut her door, heading back to his room to get a good night's rest.


End file.
